The Games People Play
by TinkerBella7
Summary: So this would take place before Screwdriver. I've been waiting for some Mac and Murdoc cat and mouse and so I've written my own. There's some bromance, of course. Some angst. Surprisingly no real Mac Whump, but I'll make up for that later. Enjoy.


Another mission completed, MacGyver followed Jack and Riley into the conference room to debrief with Thornton. He slipped past his team mates, both of whom were arguing about Zombies. Why they were arguing about Zombies, Mac didn't know, but he was too tired to care. It had been a long mission and Jack had snored like a chain saw on the plane ride home, so MacGyver hadn't been able to sleep. So he was looking forward to a quick debrief then going home and crawling into bed to sleep the day, and possibly the entire night, away.

To Mac's surprise, Bozer was in the room. He had started working at the foundation a few weeks ago, but his area was on a different level. "Hey, Boze," Mac offered in greeting. "What's up?"

"Beats me." Bozer was feeling anxious. "I was working on a truly mind-boggling mold and I get a call that Thornton needs to see me ASAP. I thought something might have happened to one of you guys and I was all freaked out. When I asked her about it she just said you would all be here in a few minutes and that I was to wait - right here - until she got back."

"That's weird," Mac said, wondering what was going on. His gut was telling him something was wrong. Very wrong. The feeling remained as Thornton strode into the room, her face grim.

Jack was grinning and about to make a sarcastic remark when he caught sight of Thornton's face. "So...what's going on, Patty? You don't look happy to see us."

Thornton's expression never changed as she stated, in a clipped tone, "I'm ecstatic to see all of you." As she spoke she darkened the glass walls and moved to the center of the room. Then, without further preamble, she stated, "Murdoc escaped."

The sudden silence in the room was deafening.

MacGyver found his voice first. "How? When?" He wasn't sure which question he needed the answer to more.

"I don't have any details on how at the moment, but I got the call just over an hour ago." Thornton moved to stand in front of the giant vid screen which, for once, was black. "Bozer was already here and the three of you were on your way back, so now we're secure. Several teams have been sent out to search for Murdoc, meanwhile we'll all remain here on lockdown."

"You're not serious?" MacGyver was stunned. "He's going to be coming for us, we can't just sit here and wait for it to happen."

Thornton pinned him with a glare. "That's exactly what we're going to do. Murdoc doesn't know about the Foundation so we're safe here. Our people will find him." She was about to say more when her phone rang. She answered it, spoke briefly, then pocketed the phone before stating, "I have to take care of something. Everyone will remain here until Murdoc is found and locked back up again. Given he doesn't have much of a head start, it shouldn't take long." With a last glare at MacGyver, Thornton exited the room.

Bozer stared at the others, eyes wide with fear. "I thought Murdoc was locked up tight in some super, extra secure facility?"

"He was," Jack confirmed. "Apparently he pulled a Houdini."

"He had to have had inside help," MacGyver interjected, as he paced from one corner of the room to the other, then back around again. "Murdoc couldn't have just broke out. He was being held in isolation under twenty-four hour surveillance."

Riley wasn't happy about the news, but she couldn't help but play Devil's Advocate and point out. "You broke out of an unbreakable Super Max prison."

Bozer's eyes bugged out. "Are you serious?" He moved to intercept his friend. "You broke out of prison? When were you in prison? Better yet, WHY were you in prison? What aren't you telling me? I thought you weren't keeping secrets from me anymore?" When Bozer was nervous he babbled, and he was so nervous and scared at this point that he couldn't have stopped babbling if he tried.

"It was a mission," Mac was quick to reassure him. "And I did tell you about it. El Noche, remember?" Placing a hand on his friend's arm, MacGyver led him to a nearby chair and made him sit. "Look, I know you're freaked out but you're safe and secure here. Okay? Thornton was right about that." For that fact, Mac was grateful. He didn't want anything to happen to Bozer.

"Speaking of El Nacho...I'm hungry," Jack spoke up, grinning as he headed for the door.

Bozer jumped to his feet. "Hey, wait! Thorton told us to stay here. Although, I won't deny I could eat."

Jack shrugged. "*Here* is open to interpretation in my book. For example, she didn't say stay HERE in this room specifically. So I'm taking that to mean *here* meant HERE in this building. There are vending machines in this HERE building. Follow me?"

"I'm following." Bozer caught up to Jack. "I need salt and sugar." Eating was another habit when he was nervous. "You coming Riley, Mac?"

"Not hungry," MacGyver replied. "You guys go ahead." He waved them off.

Riley made a face. "Bring me back something with chocolate, Bozer," she requested. "I'm going to hang here and maybe do some...research." Translation - hacking. Maybe she could find something that would help lead the agents in search of Murdoc. To be honest, she had been surprised when Thornton took off before asking her to do just that. Plopping down into the chair Bozer had vacated, Riley set her back pack on the floor and pulled out her lap top.

MacGyver had resumed pacing, but now he moved to stand behind Riley's chair. "You really think you can find something?"

"I dunno." Riley's fingers flew over the keyboard. "Can't hurt to try. Any ideas where to start looking?"

"Not a clue." Mac scrubbed his fingers through his hair as he dropped into the other chair. "I did not see this coming, but I should have."

Riley frowned at him. "Why? How could you possibly know that Murdoc would escape from a secure facility?"

It was a legitimate question that Mac really did not have an answer for. But there was one thing he did know for sure. "We're the first targets he failed to take out. Murdoc's not accustomed to failure, it wouldn't sit well with him."

"Sucks to be him." Riley was not the least bit sympathetic.

Deciding that the place to start looking would be the camera feeds at the secure facility, she hacked her way in with minimal effort. She brought them up and searched back four hours before scrolling through until she found an image of Murdoc. He was pacing in his cell from corner to corner, in measured steps, until a guard brought him dinner. At which point he accepted a tray through a slot in the locked door, before sitting on his bunk and unwrapping the sandwich. Picking up one half, Murdoc looked up at the security camera embedded in the corner of the ceiling of his cell and smiled. A slow smirk of a smile, which he held as he winked. "That's creepy," Riley drawled, hitting the pause button.

That got MacGyver's attention. "What's creepy?"

"This." Riley turned the screen around to show Mac. "Murdoc knows he's being watched and, apparently, he likes to make sure they know it."

"He's keeping track of them too." Mac cursed as he got back up and started pacing again. "Let me know if you find anything that we can use to catch him."

Riley nodded. "On it."

Twelve hours later they were all waiting in the conference room. Riley was still searching for anything useful, even though she kept coming up empty. Bozer and Jack were playing Gin Rummy on the coffee table, and MacGyver was working on yet another paper clip art piece. Several dozen of them lay scattered around the room.

Thornton strode into the room. She had been popping in and out to keep them updated, which basically meant telling them they were still searching. Moving over to the vid screen on the wall, she grabbed the ipad controller and tapped the screen. The image of a man and a woman appeared on the wall screen. "These are two of the agents we sent after Murdoch. Evans and Gionelli."

"They look dead." Bozer felt a bit nauseous as he stared at the bodies lying on the ground.

"They are dead," Thornton confirmed.

MacGyver felt his stomach drop. "Murdoc got them." He made it a statement, not a question.

Locking eyes with Mac, Thornton nodded. "We believe he did. But there are others still tracking him."

"Do they have any actual leads?" Jack asked, feeling anger stirring at the loss of two good agents. He knew them both, so he hoped whoever was after Murdoc now took him out instead of trying to capture him. Only once the assassin was dead, would this nightmare truly be over for them all.

"Nothing, other than picking up the trail from Evans and Gionelli's location," Thornton replied. "Our teams won't stop searching until we catch him." She meant to be reassuring.

"NO!" MacGyver snapped, garnering the attention of everyone in the room. He stalked over to Thornton. "You know, as well as I do, that Murdoc is going to keep killing everyone you send after him. He's not going to stop until WE stop him. This is our fight and I'm not going to sit here and let more innocent agents die because of me."

Jack stepped over to Mac, standing beside him in show of solidarity. "What he said. This is our fight, Patty. You know that. You know we're the only one's who will be able to stop this bastard."

Riley joined them. "I'm with them."

"You're not wrong," Thornton replied, eyeing them each in turn. She pointed a finger at Jack then Riley. "You two get your gear, meet up in the tack room." She then turned to MacGyver. "You're with me, we need to discuss strategy."

"You're coming with us?" Mac queried, not really surprised when she nodded to confirm.

Jack was thrilled that they were finally going to be doing something useful. "Let's get this show on the road," he whooped. "Come on, Riley. We're going Murdoc hunting."

Riley waved for him to lead the way, pausing only to surprise Bozer with a hug. "Be back soon."

"You'd better be." Bozer couldn't hide his concern. "That includes you, Jack!" he called out to his friend.

"Roger that," Jack called back, before grabbing Riley by the arm and hauling her out of the room. The sooner they hit the road after Murdoc, the sooner they could catch him or, better yet, end him.

MacGyver could see how worried Bozer was and he did what he could to reassure him. "You know you'll be safe here, right?"

Bozer shook his head at Mac. "I'm not worried about myself, I'm scared to death for you and Riley and Jack. You guys...you can't go out there after that lunatic." He turned to point to the dead agents still displayed on the screen. "I don't want that to happen to my friends."

"This is what we do, Bozer." MacGyver pulled his friend into a bro-hug, only to find himself engulfed in a Bozer bear-hug. He hugged him back then pulled away with a smile. "I'm coming back, we all are, and when we get back we'll all go out and celebrate. My treat."

"I'm holding you to that, Mac." Bozer was still scared, but he knew he had to trust his friend to keep his word. To come back home, safe.

Thornton stepped between them. "Time to go, Mac." To Bozer she said, "You might as well go back to work." With that she led the way out of the room and down the hallway.

MacGyver walked in silence for a moment, but he felt a sudden anxiety he needed to address. "You know I'm right about this. We have to go out there and stop him."

"I know." Thornton led them into an elevator and pressed a button for the top floor.

"Where are we going?" Mac's anxiety level was increasing. Something was wrong.

Thornton hit the stop button, bringing the car to a halt. "I have to be honest with you, Mac. My bosses don't want you going after Murdoc. They consider you too important an asset to be put at risk."

MacGyver stared at her in disbelief. "I'm at risk on every single mission. What makes this so different?"

"The difference is that you don't go on a mission with the intention of dying." Thornton locked eyes with MacGyver. "You're an irreplaceable asset so I've been ordered to keep you here."

"That makes me sound like I'm a possession!" MacGyver snarled. "Which I'm not!"

Thornton tried to appease him. "I know that, but try and see it from their point of view." When he made to argue, she put up a hand to stop him. "My point of view, Mac. The rest of us are replaceable. We replaced Nikki with Riley, there are other soldiers who could replace Jack. I'm replaceable as well. But no one else can do what you do."

Anger flowed over MacGyver in waves, but he kept his tone level as he shot back, "We are a team, that's how we get the job done. Not a one of us is replaceable and you know it! I'm sorry, but I'm not staying here while the rest of you go chasing after Murdoch. That's not going to happen this time."

"I knew you would feel that way." A sad smile curved Thornton's lips. "I'm sorry, Mac."

"Sorry for what?" Suspicion welled up and MacGyver got a bad feeling as Thornton hit the button and the elevator doors opened.

She looked regretful as she replied, "For this." Two big agents were standing in front of the elevator and Thornton signaled to them.

Before MacGyver could react the men had grabbed him on either side and were pulling him out into the corridor. He struggled against them but they were twice his size, twice his strength and well trained. That didn't stop Mac from stomping on the instep of the guy on his right, however all that did was piss him off and the next thing MacGyver knew, he was being picked up and carried into a room at the end of the hallway.

All he noticed was the bed in the corner and he continued to struggle and protest as they placed him on it and pinned him down. But when he noticed Thornton approaching with a syringe in hand, shock made MacGyver freeze. "No! You are not going to drug me!"

"You leave me no choice, Mac." Thornton sounded regretful as she reached out to secure his arm.

"Do not do this!" MacGyver begged, cursing himself for wearing a tee-shirt and having ditched his Jacket in the conference room.

Thornton's response was to uncap the syringe.

MacGyver began struggling in earnest, but he was no match for the brute strength and sheer weight pinning him. "I will never trust you...or forgive you...if you do this," he warned her.

"I know." Thornton gripped his forearm with one hand before stabbing the needle into his skin with the other. She was efficient and relentless.

"I'll just wake up and escape anyway," MacGyver mumbled, already feeling warmth flushing through him as everything started fading to gray.

Thornton watched as Mac's body went limp as his eyes closed. She waited a beat before nodding at the agents to release him. Gesturing for them to leave, she reached out and smoothed a lock of blond hair out of MacGyver's eyes. "I really am sorry," she whispered, before turning to exit the room.

The agents closed the heavy steel door behind her, then slid two bolt's into place and padlocked it for extra security. They then took up guard positions on either side.

Moving down the hallway to check on her other issue, Thornton pulled out her phone. When the person on the other end picked up she said curtly, "It's done." Then she hung up and slid the phone in her pocket. Whatever happened next, she was ready for the fall out.

When MacGyver felt consciousness returning, he fought it for a moment. He remembered what had gone down and anger washed over him in waves. On the one hand he wanted to be up and out of here and dealing with Murdoc. On the other hand he was terrified to find out how much time had passed. How much time he had lost. The need to know what was happening won out and Mac peeled his eyes open.

He took a beat to gaze about his surroundings. When he had been carried into the room, all he had really noticed was the bed, which he was still lying on. He pushed himself upright only to gaze down at himself in disbelief. The blue t-shirt he'd been wearing had been replaced with a white one. Pushing off the covers he caught his breath to realize someone had changed him out of the clothes he had been wearing and into, not only a different tee, but his jeans had been replaced with a pair of gray sweatpants and he now wore white socks, instead of blue ones. Reeling from a sudden surge of panic, MacGyver yanked down the waist band of the sweat pants and it hit him like a slap. Someone had even changed out the briefs he had been wearing. The creepy factor of that went beyond a thousand per cent.

"What the hell!" Mac shot out of the bed only to stumble when his wobbly legs wouldn't hold him. He pressed a hand against the nearest wall to steady himself as dizziness washed over him. Once he felt able to stand without falling, he continued to investigate his surroundings.

The room he was in appeared to be about 16 x 16, but what made it unusual was the fact that it was a smooth box with no windows, no separation between walls and ceiling and only two doors. One, which he assumed after taking a few minutes to study it, was made of thick, reinforced steel. It looked a lot like a vault door and there was no inside handle. The other door was hinge-less and led into a bathroom.

Further study of the main room revealed that the bed was the only object in it, but what was more interesting was the fact that it was made of steel with welded seams and the entire bottom was cemented into the floor. There were built in bookshelves, also seamless, on either side of the bathroom door. MacGyver took a moment to study the contents. They were filled with books, all of his favorites and then some.

Inside the bathroom, the door of which opened with a sensor, the sink was cemented into the floor, the mirror was digital and inset with a plexiglass cover that was welded into the wall. Every single thing was seamless. There wasn't anything he could pull out or pull apart. Not the faucet, the toilet, or the shower head, all of which worked with the wave of one hand over the imbedded sensors.

There were built-ins off to the side of the shower and stacked up on the three shelves were tee-shirts and sweat pants, a dozen of each in the color options of black, white, gray and blue. There were a dozen pairs of white socks, and a dozen pairs of boxer-briefs. On a different shelf were bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths. Checking the bathroom countertop, MacGyver noticed a toothbrush and tooth paste. A deodorant and a plexi-glass cup and a comb. No razor.

Returning to the main room, Mac took note of the fact that the double mattress was set into a welded frame and stitched into somehow and he had two pillows, one blanket and a comforter. Feeling like he'd fallen through a science fiction wormhole, MacGyver crawled back onto the bed and stuffed himself into the corner.

It was at that moment the heavy steel door swung open to reveal Thornton.

MacGyver glared daggers at her as she entered the room. The vault-like door was closed behind her, sealing them in. He continued to glare at her as he snarled, "So I'm a prisoner now?"

"If that's how you choose to see it," Thornton allowed.

"How else would I see it?" Mac pointed to his attire. "I didn't ask to be locked in here, and I sure as hell did not consent to being stripped and redressed while I was unconscious! And what the hell is this place anyway? Did you ship it in from Fort Knox?" Realizing that he was now standing directly in front of his boss and practically shouting in her face, MacGyver shut up and backed away. He paced over to the far corner and leaned against the wall, one hand scrubbing over his face before combing through his hair. How the hell did this become his life?

Thornton didn't flinch in the face of Mac's fury, she simply waited him out. Once he fell silent, she moved to face him. "For the record, Mac, I argued against putting you in here and I was overruled."

"So try again," he beseeched, but the look on Thornton's face told Mac that she wouldn't bother.

"It wouldn't matter if I did," Thornton stated, as if reading MacGyver's mind. "I've been ordered to keep you here until Murdoc is found."

After a long moment of silence, that stretched taut and almost vibrating between them, Mac asked, "And how long do you expect that to take? I noticed a dozen changes of this lovely outfit I'm wearing."

Thornton's expression tightened. "It will take as long as it takes. I'm sorry, Mac. I understand your frustration."

"No, you don't!" he hissed. "You have no idea how I feel right now!" Pushing off the wall, MacGyver paced to the opposite corner and back again. Anger and frustration and anxiety were coursing through him in equal measure. Add into the mix the lingering effects of the sedative, and Mac felt like he was drowning in chaos.

"You need to know a few things about your stay here," Thornton said, as if she were discussing his stay at a four-star hotel. "You can have whatever you like to eat, whenever you want. Just ask. But keep in mind that there will be a silverware check after every meal, along with a toiletry check whenever you use the facilities. If an item comes up missing, the agents will do a room search. If they can't find the item, they will do a body cavity search. Also, there are no cameras, so you will have a modicum of privacy. There's no phone service either or internet access. Nothing in or out. The higher ups believe you would find a way to use it to your advantage."

MacGyver wasn't really surprised by what she was saying, but he felt a surge of anger none the less. It stopped him in his tracks as he moved to confront her. Hands clenching into fists, he gritted out, "If you follow through with this, with keeping me prisoner in here, I will never trust you again. You know that, right?"

Thornton nodded. "At least you'll be alive. That said, understand something, Mac. This directive comes from way over my head."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better." Mac couldn't keep the bitterness from his tone. "I'm stuck in here while my friends go after Murdoc and probably get killed for their effort."

"Well, maybe this will make you feel better," Thornton countered. "Jack and Riley are locked up for safe keeping as well. Bozer is not allowed to leave the Foundation, but since he can be trusted to do his job here he has a limited amount of freedom. Just to be clear, he has no idea that you and your team are still here, so he'll continue to believe you're out there chasing Murdoc."

Now that MacGyver had not seen coming, so it threw him for a loop for a minute. First he felt immense relief that Jack and Riley weren't out there chasing after Murdoc without him. Also that Bozer was safe and would remain so. But once the relief faded, he felt angry for his friends. "Are their accommodations as lovely as mine?"

Thornton almost cracked a smile at the sarcasm that practically oozed from MacGyver. "I don't need to lock them up in a room like this."

MacGyver wasn't sure if he should feel pissed or complimented, so he settled for curious. "What about you? Are you going after Murdoc?" As angry as he was, Mac didn't want Thornton putting herself at risk either.

"I'm doing as I was told and staying put." Thornton's expression became grim. "Like I told you, I'm replaeceable, but I convinced my bosses that it would in their best interest to keep your team intact, if they wanted to keep your cooperation in the future. They figured I was the best one to handle you."

"I'm not a damn horse or some trick pony," MacGyver grumbled, but he set that particular issue aside for the moment. "Whoever they send after Murdoc is going to die. You can't be okay with that."

Thornton allowed a small sigh of resignation to escape. "Every agent knew the risks when they took this job, just like we do."

MacGyver shook his head. "None of us signed up for this. Not for someone like Murdoc. You hired me because I think outside the box, which means I'm your best chance of catching him. You know that. Your bosses know that. You have to let me out of here." He was ready to resort to out and out begging, if need be.

"Not going to happen, Mac." Thornton moved to the door and knocked twice. "Can I get you something to eat?"

"No." Just the thought of food made MacGyver feel ill.

The heavy door swung open and Thornton stepped out without another word.

Mac dropped to the floor as the door swung closed. He listened to the click of a chamber lock, then the scrape of what sounded like two dead bolts. He even imagined he heard the snick of a padlock and, for a moment, he was almost amused by the fact that he rated such over the top security measures. But the amusement quickly faded as the reality of situation sunk in.

He was a prisoner of his own people. The weight of that reality felt heavy enough to break him.

Time passed sluggishly for MacGyver, since he had no access to a watch or clock. His best guess was that he had lost at least half a day, during which time he read four books in between fleeting spurts of slumber. He kept being startled awake by the nightmares that plagued him. Nightmares starring none other than Murdoc himself.

The only other thing MacGyver did was take a shower and brush his teeth. He didn't ask for food and when a tray was brought to him anyway, he ignored it until it was removed. When the agents did their toiletry checks he simply continued reading. Same for when they removed his dirty clothes and wet towels. They didn't say a word to him and he didn't say a word back.

When Thornton entered the room, MacGyver didn't even look up from the latest book he was reading, he just stay tucked into the corner of the bed.

Thornton moved to stand in his line of sight, were he to look up. "Mac, you have to eat." She gave a small sigh when he pointedly ignored her and simply turned another page of his book. "For the record, a hunger strike won't get you anywhere. My bosses will just order me to send someone in to force feed you. Trust me when I say, you won't like that."

MacGyver had no doubt about that, but he still had no interest in responding to her. It was childish, and he knew it, but he was more than willing to continue with this game. Or he would have if not for a burning question that he had to ask. "How many?"

"How many what?" Thornton countered.

"You know exactly what I'm asking." Mac pinned her with a glare and he was pleased when she faltered a bit.

However, Thornton was quick to recover. "Four more agents were killed," she replied.

MacGyver felt his stomach twist into knots. Four more innocent people were dead, killed by Murdoc because of him. Mac tosses his book aside as he scrubbed a hand over his face. He felt weighted down by sorrow as he stated, "And that's why I'm not hungry, and why I don't forsee myself being hungry any time soon."

"I understand." Thornton turned to leave.

"Did you help build this room?" Mac blurted out, stopping Thornton in her tracks. The question had been eating at him since he woke up in here. He didn't want to believe that she was a part of this. Sure she had said she argued against putting him in here, but that didn't mean she hadn't known all about it and how to make sure he stayed confined.

Thornton slowly turned back around to face Mac. Her expression was neutral. "I know that you're angry and I don't blame you. But I swear that I had nothing to do with any of this, MacGyver. I heard about this room, I won't deny that. Soon after Murdoc was captured, there were rumors."

MacGyver wasn't sure what that meant. "Rumors?" he prompted.

"That the agency was having a suite built that would be able to contain you, if need be." Thornton grimaced, as if saying the words left a bad taste in her mouth. "I learned that this room existed yesterday, when they called to tell me that Murdoc had escaped. I was told, in no uncertain terms, that you were not to be allowed to go after him. They told me about the location of this room and that I was to use it to keep you safe and secure."

"Just like the possession I apparently am," MacGyver countered, bitterly. "You didn't do anything to stop this from happening. Now people are dying. Our people. Because of me!"

Thornton moved back over to the bed. "After they told me to lock you up in here, they said it was just fine for me, Jack and Riley to go after Murdoc."

That confession shocked MacGyver to the point where he stared at her feeling shell-shocked. So the agency big wigs were more than willing to sacrifice his friends. Mac shook his head. "But...you didn't go after him. You said Jack and Riley were here."

"They are," Thornton confirmed. "I explained to my bosses that if I sent Jack and Riley after Murdoc and they died, any chance of you working here in the future would be destroyed."

"You got that right." Mac was beginning to realize that he had no idea about the politics of the foundation. He had been happy to be blissfully ignorant of the workings of the top hierarchy, and he rather wished he could go back in time and forget it all. He locked eyes with Thornton. "To be honest, at the moment I'm not sure I want to work here anymore anyway."

Thornton shook her head. "There's something you need to understand, Mac. Those guards out there, keeping you in, they're also there to keep me from letting you out. I'm being watched. I'm not supposed to tell you any of this and, when this is all over, there's a good chance I'll be fired anyway."

MacGyver was beginning to feel dizzy from being hit with so many bad surprises, one after the other. He got to his feet to face her. "That's not going to happen. Tell them if you go, I go." So, apparently he had decided he would stay after all. Mac was giving himself a headache from all the back and forth going on in his own head.

"The gesture is appreciated, but not necessary." A smile almost cracked Thornton's lips. Almost.

"It is necessary," MacGyver insisted. "Look, despite what I just said and how angry I am over this situation...I know what you do for us. How you run interference. I know that your bosses would love it if I was more by the book. But YOU get that I can't do my job that way. It's not how I think. You're the only one who gets that."

Thornton opened her mouth to reply but one of the guards entered the room.

"Ma'am, you're have a call," he stated. "They said it's urgent."

"What is it?" Thornton demanded.

The agent looked grim. "There may be a lead on Murdoc."

That got MacGyver's attention, and Thornton noticed. "I'll keep you posted," she promised, before striding out of the room.

The guard, or rather agent, glanced around the room for a moment before asking MacGyver, "You want anything?"

It was on the tip of Mac's tongue to say no, but he reconsidered. "Actually...I'm kinda hungry. I could go for some Chinese."

The guard looked surprised but asked, "Anything in particular?"

"White rice and orange chicken," MacGyver requested. "Oh...and wonton soup."

"I'll get right on it." The agent nodded then walked out, closing the door behind him.

MacGyver exhaled slowly, now that he had put into action his plan to escape. If there was a lead on Murdoc, then he was going to be the one to catch the bastard. All he had to do now was wait for the food to arrive. Soon, he would be on his way.

When the agent delivered MacGyver's food order, he set it down on a fold out TV tray they had brought in and out with them the last time, when he had refused to eat. The agent handed over a set of chop sticks and watched as Mac opened them. "Anything else?"

"Water?" Mac requested, preparing himself.

What happened next, happened almost in a blur. With chopsticks in hand he accepted the water bottle that the agent brought to him. After uncapping it and taking a sip, Mac flung the rest of the contents into the agent's face. While he sputtered about, MacGyver stabbed the blunt end of the chopsticks into the agent's thigh muscle, causing a reflexive reaction where the big guy's leg buckled and he fell to one knee. When he was off balance and trying to steady himself with a hand on the floor, Mac shoved him forward. The agent's head connected hard with the wall and he slumped over, unconscious.

Mac was on the move to the open door when he felt a thick arm wrap around his waist and he was lifted off his feet and carried over to the bed where he was unceremoniously dropped. He struggled against the heavy weight pinning him down, all the more so when the agent pulled out a syringe. Knowing it contained something to knock him out, MacGyver struggled harder, freeing one hand so that he could grab the thick wrist of the hand holding the syringe. Mac dug his fingers into the soft underside and found the bundle of nerves that made the agent release his grip on the syringe.

Without hesitation, MacGyver grabbed it, uncapped it and stabbed it into the agent's neck. The big guy howled, managed to cuff Mac on the side of the head hard enough to stun him for a second, then he slumped, dead-weight, on top of MacGyver.

Knowing he didn't have much time, MacGyver managed to roll the agent off him and get to his feet. He had to move fast. So he found the agent's cell phone and a key ring. Moving to the other guy he relieved him of the same items before running out of the room and pushing the heavy door closed. Two dead bolts and a padlock later it was locked up tight and MacGyver was on his way.

He pressed himself against the wall as he studied the corridor. He didn't see any signs of cameras and he guessed that they figured once they had him locked in the room, they didn't need any other means of keeping watch over him. Good for him, bad for them.

Hitting the stairwell, Mac made his way down six levels before exiting and moving to room at the end of the hallway. He knew he could use the cell phones to his advantage. One he could use to detect any agent coming his way, after a bit of modification. The other one he could use as a distraction. There were robotics in the room and Mac put together a unit he could send ahead remotely and make go BANG if necessary. He hoped he wouldn't have to go that route, as it would give away his location.

First thing he wanted to do was find Jack and he had a good idea where to look. One of the floors had small suites for the agents use, if necessary. So MacGyver made his way to that floor and he spotted an agent at the end of the hallway. No doubt guarding Jack and Riley.

Using the robot, MacGyver sent it down the hallway to stop at the agent's feet. He made the agent chase it back down the hallway towards his hiding place and when the guy turned the corner, MacGyver clubbed him with a fire extinguisher.

"Sorry," Mac apologized, as he dragged the agent into a room, relieved him of his cell phone, then tied him up and closed the door. He ran down the hallway and as he approached the end he heard singing. Obviously Jack's room.

Having also lifted the keys from the agent's pocket, it took Mac only a minute to open the door. He grinned at the shock on Jack's face at the sight of him. A moment later he found himself locked in a bear hug.

Jack hugged MacGyver hard before pushing him back and looking him over. "Did you just wake up from a nap?" His young friend looked about sixteen with his mussed hair, sweats and tee and only socks on his feet.

"Long story, I'll explain later." MacGyver glanced down the hallway. "How much time before someone checks on you?"

"A good two hours, they just switched off," Jack explained. "What did you do with Harry?" At MacGyver's frown he said, "The agent who was guarding me and Riley."

Mac grimaced. "Knocked him out and tied him up."

Jack chuckled. "You're going to have to apologize later for that. He's a good guy. He told me they had you locked up tight somewhere."

"Like I said, I'll explain later." MacGyver did another hallway check. "Thornton got a call about a possible lead on Murdoc. You told me I wasn't allowed to do anything stupid without you...so I came to get you. I don't want Riley involved, Jack. Four more agents have already died because of that bastard. I don't even want to bring you with me but..."

"But nothing!" Jack cut him off. "You did the right thing coming to get me. We do need to leave right now though and you can fill me in as we go."

Relief washed over MacGyver in waves. He knew Jack would always be on his side, but he hadn't realized just how much he relied on him until now. "I need burner phones and clothes. I can't go to my place."

Jack was already grabbing Mac by the arm and hauling him down the corridor. "Can you get us to the garage, south exit?"

"Sure...why?" Mac didn't argue as Jack shoved him into the closest stairwell, he just followed him.

"I know a place where no one will find us and it has everything we need," Jack explained. "You'll have to hotwire a car. It belongs to the janitor. He owes me a favor so he won't tell on us, but I don't want him involved so..."

MacGyver rolled his eyes. "You know I can hotwire a car, Jack. Let's go." For the first time since they'd learned Murdoc had escaped, Mac felt like all was right with his world. With Jack by his side, they would find the bastard and his friends would be safe again.

Getting to the garage was easy enough. Getting the car from the janitor, whose name was Milo, was also easy. Easier still was hotwiring the car and finally they were on their way, following the *back door* route from the garage to the road and onto the highway.

"So where are we going?" Mac asked, as Jack headed north.

"To a little place I have west of Lancaster," Jack replied. "It'll take us about two hours to get there. It's a little hidey-hole and I keep it pretty well stocked. I have everything we need there."

Mac was intrigued. "Everything? Like burner phones and clothes I can wear?"

Jack shrugged. "In our line of work you never know when you need a place to hide out if something goes south."

"How long have you had this place?" The more Jack talked about it, the more curious Mac was.

"A few years," Jack confessed. "I'm sorry I never told you about it. I should have."

MacGyver was quick to interrupt him. "Jack, you're allowed to have a private life. It's all good. I'm glad you're so prepared."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, me too." He reached for the radio. "Mind if I listen to some tunes?"

"Go ahead." Mac shifted to find a more comfortable position. "Mind if I sleep?" A power nap would help him keep his head clear and to focus. What they were about to do would take all of his wits and creativity. But MacGyver was determined to catch Murdoc, no matter what it took.

"Sleep away," Jack replied, before turning down the volume on the country station. However, he did sing along.

They reached the cabin in about two hours, as Jack had stated, and he ushered MacGyver inside. "I have some clothes that should fit you, hang on." He disappeared down a hallway as Mac wandered into the kitchen area. A moment later he returned with black jeans and a black sweater and held them out, along with a pair of black combat boots. They had the same shoe size.

MacGyver took everything, gratefully. "Thanks, Jack."

"No thanks needed." He pointed down the hallway. "Bathroom is on the left. I'm going to make something to eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"They didn't feed you?" Mac was surprised.

Jack snorted. "Of course they fed me, but it's been at least two hours. I need to fuel up for what's to come." He headed into the kitchen and began opening cupboards. "Knowing you the way I do, I'm betting you haven't eaten much of anything."

MacGyver found himself smiling. Jack did know him, almost too well. "I haven't really been hungry," he allowed.

"Go get changed then and we'll eat and strategize." Jack shooed him down the hall.

Five minutes later MacGyver was dressed in the jeans and sweater with the boots on his feet. He was surprised at how well the clothes fit, and he said as much as he returned to the kitchen and sat down at the table to eat the sandwich Jack set down in front of him. Mac still wasn't hungry, but he knew he needed the food, so he made himself eat every bite of the grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

Jack joined him and shrugged. "Don't ever do your laundry while drunk," he advised. "I managed to shrink an entire load of laundry. Two pairs of my favorite jeans and two shirts, plus the sweater you're wearing. I figured I'd keep them just in case."

"I'm grateful you did." Mac really was, but he couldn't help teasing, "But is every single thing you own black?"

"It's slimming," Jack mocked, before throwing a potato chip at MacGyver. "It's a good look on you, bro. You should let me pick out your wardrobe from now on." When MacGyver rolled his eyes, Jack got serious. "So tell me what happened to you? Harry said they had you locked up tighter than Fort Knox."

MacGyver pushed away his half finished sandwich. "It felt like Fort Knox. " He went on to explain exactly what the suite had looked like and what Thornton had told them her bosses had said about him.

Jack looked grim, but at the same time he understood where they were coming from. "I don't agree with their methods, Mac...but I get it. The rest of us are replaceable, but you're not."

"I don't want to hear it." MacGyver pushed back his chair and stood up. "You said you had burner phones?"

"I put them on the counter." Jack pointed them out. "How are we going to find Murdoc? We don't have access to the foundation intel. And we don't have Riley." He grimaced. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we left her out of this. Thing is, we could really use her skills."

MacGyver grabbed one of the phones and started texting. "I know someone who can help us get the intel. He's a brilliant hacker, better than Riley and Nikki put together."

Jack was surprised to hear that and he didn't bother to hide it. "If this guy is so good, why isn't he working for us? Er...for the foundation."

"He hates the government," Mac replied, hitting send before focusing his attention on Jack. "He's an X-files fanatic and he swears that everything that happened on that show truly exists and we're hiding it from the public."

"Then why would he help us?" Jack was more than a little confused.

Mac shrugged. He wasn't sure how to explain it without revealing information he had sworn to keep private. "Let's just say he owes me a favor, a big favor, and leave it at that. He'll get us tapped in and help us just this once. After that he'll disappear again."

Jack was cool with that. "So what's Houdini's name?"

"He calls himself Iggy." Mac had never asked why and he figured he was better off not knowing. Just then his phone buzzed. He checked and smiled in relief to see that Iggy had texted him back. The message was an address. Mac held up the phone. "That was Iggy. Ready for a road trip?"

"I was born ready." Jack scooped up a duffle bag and headed for the door.

Mac called him back. "Hold up, I need to collect a few things." Moving to the sink, MacGyver checked underneath and grabbed dish detergent, bleach, two sponges and bug spray. He checked the drawers and found a lighter, matches and a few other household items that he carried over to Jack. "Can I dump these in your duffel bag?"

Jack zipped it open, revealing hand guns and ammo. "Dump away." After Mac dropped them in, Jack zipped the bag up again. He didn't even bother to ask what they were for, Mac would just tell him he didn't know yet. "So where are we heading?"

"Santa Barbara," Mac replied, leading the way out. He was ready to end this once and for all.

To Jack's surprise, Iggy was short, much closer to his age than Mac's and had bright purple hair. All that aside, he did seem to be a hell of a hacker and he found a back door into the foundation and assured them they could hack into Thornton's phone and files so that they would know everything she knew.

"How long is it going to take to crack her password?" Jack asked.

"Uh...actually, I know her password," MacGyver confessed. He felt Jack staring at him in surprise and ignored it to type in the password when Iggy offered him the keyboard. A moment later they had the info they needed. He patted Iggy on the shoulder. "Keep tracking her calls and send me updates. I'll call you if I need you to hack into anything else or find out any information."

Iggy nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "Just remember, MacGyver, you have twenty-four hours of my time then my debt to you is paid in full and I'm out of here."

MacGyver nodded. "Twenty-four hours and done. Thanks again." He gestured for Jack to lead the way out of the underground bomb shelter that Iggy lived in.

Once back in the car, Jack had to ask. "Why do you know Thornton's password?"

"She gave it to me a while back." MacGyver still remember the day she had given it to him, he had been shocked and confused, but he had never forgotten it. "She told me she trusted me if the day came when I would need to use it. It didn't occur to me until just now that she had actually thought far enough ahead to something like this happening. She told me that she was being watched by her bosses. Now I almost wonder if she had been expecting me to escape."

"Well, that is one of the things you're good at," Jack allowed. "So, where are we headed now? We know Murdoc killed two more agents since we left the Foundation, but all that gives us is a general location."

Mac had asked Iggy to print the locations where all the agents were killed on a grid map. He studied it for a moment then said, "I know where Mudoc is going." His voice was tinged with both anger and regret.

Jack glanced over at his friend as he started the car. "You going to share? It'll make driving there a lot easier if I know where I'm going."

"He's making his way to Mission City," MacGyver stated.

"You sure about that?" Jack couldn't hide his surprise. When Mac nodded he asked, "Why would he be going to your home town?"

MacGyver wished he could answer that question. "I don't know, but let's beat him there and find out."

Jack put the car into drive and headed back out towards the highway. "You okay?" He knew MacGyver was anything but, still he had to ask.

"Not yet," Mac confessed. "But I will be. As soon as we catch Murdoc, I'll be just fine."

It was nearly dark when they entered Mission City. MacGyver had dozed off when his phone buzzed. He startled awake and pulled it out, knowing it had to be Iggy. Mac read the text and stiffened.

"What is it?" Jack demanded, when he noticed MacGyver's body go taut with tension.

"Iggy sent me a text that was forwarded to Thornton from one of the dead agent's cell phone. It's a message from Murdoc...to me." MacGyver read it out loud. "You once were lost, but now I'' found. Are you blind, Angus? Or now can you see?"

Jack frowned. "I know that from somewhere."

MacGyver slid the phone back in his pocket. "It's a play on the words of Amazing Grace."

"Do you know what it means?" Jack pulled over so that he could focus on Mac, who he could tell had gone pale even in the dim light.

"I think I do know," MacGyver allowed. "I have to say that Murdoc is very thorough."

Jack didn't hide his confusion. "Meaning what, exactly?"

MacGyver felt twitchy, to the point where he got out of the car so he could pace. He came to an abrupt stop when Jack suddenly appeared, blocking him.

"Talk to me, kid," Jack beseeched him. "What's going on? Where's Murdoc?"

"When I was four my parents took me on a picnic in the woods and, apparently, I wandered off," MacGyver began.

Jack chuckled. "You probably got distracted by a bee and followed it so you could figure out how it's stinger worked," he teased, in an attempt to ease some of the tension and anxiety he could feel rolling off of MacGyver in waves.

Mac knew what Jack was doing and he appreciated it, even though it wasn't working. "Anyway, I got lost and it took them hours to find me. It was dark and I was scared and I ended up sitting on a rock near the edge of cliff that jutted out over a large stream. I think that's where Murdoc is waiting. Where I was lost and found."

"How would he know that you got lost at four years old?" Jack was beginning to get creeped out a bit.

"It was in the local newspaper," Mac replied. "My Grandfather showed me the clipping when I was older. Anyone could access it through the archives."

Jack sighed. "This seems to be awfully personal all of the sudden."

MacGyver agreed. "I can't the feeling that we're missing something. I'm missing something. Murdoc couldn't have escaped without help from the inside. I'm not so sure anymore that Nikki sent him to kill us. I think someone else did."

"One problem at a time," Jack said firmly. "Let's get Murdoc first." He nudged Mac towards the passenger seat before slipping back behind the wheel. "Point me in the right direction."

Twenty minutes later MacGyver instructed Jack to pull over. "We have to hoof it the rest of the way."

Jack followed Mac out of the car and gestured for him to lead the way. "Let's do this."

MacGyver was more than ready, armed only with a flashlight. He listened to Jack check his weapons, knowing his friend was carrying three guns along with extra ammo. A part of Mac hoped that Jack was able to put a bullet straight into Murdoc's heart, then the bastard wouldn't be able to hurt anyone ever again. At the same time he hoped he'd get some answers to the myriad of questions that plagued him.

Another twenty minutes later and they neared their location. MacGyver shone the flashlight on the rock he didn't even remember sitting on all those years ago. "That's the spot."

"I don't see Murdoc anywhere," Jack stated in a hushed voice.

"Me either, but I can feel that he's here." Mac didn't know how he knew, he just did.

Jack believed him. "I'm gonna go look around. Stay put and out of sight. If he shows up do not engage him without me. You hear me?"

Mac nodded. "I hear you. Be careful." He did not want to add Jack to Murdoc's body count.

"Careful is my middle name," Jack replied. "Oh...I almost forgot. I have something for you." He pulled a swiss army knife out of his pocket. "I know it's not your original, but I figure it'll do until you get yours back."

"Thanks, Jack." Mac accepted it with gratitude. He had been feeling out of sorts without it, more than he cared to admit to himself. Original or not, it was like having a missing piece of himself back.

Jack patted Mac on the shoulder. "Any time. I'll be back in a minute." With that he crouched low and moved off silently.

Mac moved to a nearby tree and leaned against it. He was going to sleep for a week when this was all over. The crunch of a footstep startled him, and MacGyver pushed off the tree and whirled around. He caught his breath to see Murdoc standing on the rock.

"You are such a smart boy, MacGyver," Murdoc drawled. "It pleases me to have such a worthy adversary. Do you know, I rather liken us to Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty. Appropriate, don't you think?"

"I'm here like you wanted, Murdoc," Mac replied. "But no more games. What do you want with me?"

Murdoc chuckled as he jumped down from the rock and strolled closer. "But it's all about the game, Angus. Life is but a game." Suddenly he froze and pulled out a gun and held it out to his left. "Hello, Jack Dalton. I think we both know I'm a better shot than you, but I'm feeling generous today. You put your gun down and I'll tell you where I left the last agent and you can go save them before they bleed out. She's a lovely young woman with her whole life ahead of her. But the clock is ticking and time is nearly up for her."

Jack snorted. "Like I believe you. I'm not leaving."

"Go, Jack," MacGyver told him. "I'll be okay. Please. If you can save her...she's one of us." For some reason Mac believed that Murdoc had left the agent alive. For now. Besides which, he knew that whatever happened tonight, it would finally be the end. One way or another.

"Okay, I'll go." Jack didn't like it, but he felt the way Mac did and he knew the kid could take care of himself. So he put his gun down, given that he had two more on him, then he glared at Murdoc and demanded, "Where is she?"

Murdoc pointed with the gun. "About ten clicks that way. You can't miss her." He waved at him. "Now shoo." The moment Jack was gone, Murdoc focused all of his attention back on MacGyver. "Now it's our turn to have fun."

MacGyver had no interest in playing Murdoc's game. "It's just you and me now. What do you want?"

"Mano y mano," Murdoc replied. He bent and set the gun on the ground. "I know you hate guns so I'm leveling the playing field. We fight with our fists and our wits. You win and I tell you what you want to know. You ready?"

"More than ready." MacGyver was actually looking forward to the fight. Anger surged through him and he launched himself forward, hitting Murdoc with a right cross that sent the other man stumbling backwards, right over the edge of the cliff. "NO!" MacGyver heaved himself forward to the edge of the cliff, landing on his stomach. He was stunned to see that Murdoch was just about two feet below him, clinging to a thick root buried in the dirt. Reaching out to him, MacGyver ordered, "Take my hand."

Murdoc grinned up at him, face scraped and bloody, but he was obviously unconcerned by his plight. "It seems a bit like your cheating, don't you think? My being clumsy isn't the same as you winning fair and square. Although I guess if I let you pull me up, we could start again."

MacGyver had zero patience for his ramblings. "Shut up and give me your damn hand!"

"I don't think I'm ready for this to be over," Murdoc replied. "I want to give you time to mull things over, Angus. See you when I see you." With that he laughed maniacally as he let go of the root and let himself fall.

"NO! NOOO!" MacGyver found himself lurching forward, even as he watched Murdoc fall straight down into the water below. Even as he heard the splash he felt a hand grab the back of his pants and haul him backwards.

Jack pulled Mac to his feet and shook him. "What the hell do you think you're doing! You nearly fell over the side, bro!"

MacGyver pulled free and turned back to stare below. The moon was out in full force, but even so he could only see the darkness below. "He let go, Jack," Mac whispered. "He just let go and fell. Why? Why would he do that?" It didn't make any sense.

"I don't know and I don't care," Jack replied, as he peered over the side. "No way he survived that fall, but I'll call the office and have Patty send out a team to sweep the area and the water. We'll find the body and bury it deep. Bottom line...it's over."

"Yeah." MacGyver wanted to believe that it was over, but he wouldn't be able to do that until he knew for sure Murdoc was dead. "Did you find the agent?"

Jack nodded. "She should be okay. I called for an ambulance and it's on it's way. You okay?"

MacGyver scrubbed a hand over his face, uncertain how to answer that particular question. He and Jack were alive and he should be relieved, but all he felt was anxious. "I'm good," was the reply he settled on.

"Why don't you sit and rest until the cavalry arrives, so to speak." Jack guided Mac over to the big rock and made him sit. "Use that big brain of yours to figure out how we're going to explain everything that happened to Patty." With that Jack pulled out his burner phone and walked off to make the call.

While he waited, MacGyver pondered Murdoc's last words to him about *mulling things over*. It meant something and Mac needed to figure out what. He was missing something.

In the end he didn't have much time to figure anything out. Thornton sent out the troops and while agents combed the area for Murdoc's body, Mac and Jack returned to the foundation. They spent several hours debriefing before being sent home.

MacGyver took a shower and went to bed. Bozer let him sleep for ten hours, then made him pancakes before letting Mac know that Thornton had called and she and the rest of the team, meaning Riley and Jack, would be over any minute.

The look on Thornton's face worried Mac as they all gathered around the fire pit. She looked grim.

It was Jack who spoke first. "So how much trouble are we in for escaping?" he queried.

"Surprisingly, my bosses are more interested in how Mac was able to escape so easily," Thornton replied.

"You call that easy?" MacGyver countered in disbelief. "Let me guess, they're working on a way to upgrade the room?"

Thornton shrugged. "I haven't been let into the loop. But's that not why I'm here. I got word a few hours ago that the search has been shut down. It's over."

MacGyver knew what she was going to say next. "They didn't find his body."

"No, they did not." Thornton locked eyes with MacGyver. "That doesn't mean Murdoc isn't dead. That stream was big and deep, he just got swept out."

"No way he could be alive," Bozer stated, clapping Mac on the back. "Be happy, bro. It's finally over."

MacGyver managed a faulty smile. "You're right, there is no way he could have survived that fall. It just...it doesn't seem real without a body. He let go and just fell...like he knew he would survive. Like he knew he was going to see me again." Mac just couldn't get past that.

Jack moved to sit beside him. "He was just messing with you. Let it go, Mac. Bury that bastard and move on."

It was sound advice, and Mac was determined to follow it. He would let it go. He looked at Thornton. "So are we back to business as usual?"

"We are," Thornton confirmed. "In fact we have a new mission, but the three of you don't leave until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, Bozer informed me that he grills a mean steak."

"That I do." Bozer jumped up and pulled Riley with him. "Come help me grab them and the fixings?"

Riley was all for it if it meant good food. "You got it." They disappeared inside.

Thornton pulled out her phone and tapped the screen before stating, "For the record, I changed my password."

Jack snorted and MacGyver found himself grinning. Just like always, his team had his back. He looked at Thornton and mouthed, *Thank you*.

She nodded and asked, "Any chance I could get a beer?"

"I'm on it," Jack replied, jumping to his feet and heading inside.

Thirty minutes later they were enjoying good food and good company and for tonight Mac allowed himself to forget about Murdoc and to just live in the moment.

Until Jack started singing Papa Don't Preach. Mac had no choice but to nail him with a forkful of macaroni salad, but he was smart enough to get up and run before Jack chased him.

THE END


End file.
